Former Tour de France champion arrested for allegedly attacking an escort

Former German cyclist Jan Ullrich is in trouble with the law once again for allegedly attacking an escort at a Frankfort hotel. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich was arrested in Frankfort, Germany on Friday morning, for allegedly attacking a 31-year-old escort at a hotel.

According to the Associated Press, Ullrich, 44, resisted arrest but was expected to be released Friday afternoon. The woman he allegedly attacked has not been identified and police have not released information on her condition, though they did say she needed medical treatment.

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Frankfort police released a statement about Ullrich’s arrest.

“As part of the police interrogation, the woman provided extensive information on the attacks of the accused. The accused so far makes use of his right to refuse to testify,” the statement said.

“Currently, the accused is being investigated for attempted manslaughter and dangerous assault. The investigation has not yet been completed.”

Frankfort police spokeswoman Carina Lerch said that Ullrich and the woman got into a dispute which escalated, and when Ullrich attacked her she contacted hotel staff, who notified the police. Lerch also said that Ullrich was under the influence of both drugs and alcohol at the time of his arrest.

This incident in Frankfort is the second time in a week that Ullrich has been arrested. Police in Mallorca, Spain took him into custody on August 3 when he jumped the fence that separated his house and his neighbor’s house. Ullrich’s neighbor, German actor Til Schweiger, was hosting a party, and once Ullrich jumped the fence he allegedly accosted and threatened Schweiger. Ullrich told the German newspaper Bild that he only wanted to say goodbye to Schweiger. Ullrich was released the next day and slapped with a restraining order.

Ullrich also told Bild (via Cycling Weekly) that he’s receiving therapy since his separation from his wife, which escalated his drug and alcohol use.

“For the love of my children, I am doing a therapy now,” Ullrich said. “The separation from Sara and the distance to my children – whom I have not seen since Easter and have hardly spoken – have affected me a lot. That’s why I’ve done and taken things that I very much regret.”

Ullrich has a history of arrests and alcohol use. He lost his license in 2002 for drunk driving, and in 2014 injured two people in Switzerland while driving while intoxicated.

Ullrich won the Tour de France in 1997, and won gold and silver in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He dealt with doping accusations throughout his career, which persisted after his retirement in 2007. He received a two-year ban for doping in 2012, five years after his retirement, and admitted to blood doping in 2013.